American Gryffindor
by Ribanusa
Summary: Technically me going to Hogwarts in 6th year. Not very plotfull so far, but it's coming along. Me/Ron or someone else, H/G, H/???
1. Chapter 1: Arrival

American Gryffindor  
Chapter 1  
  
Disclaimer: Written by Lil ol' me on my downstairs computer.I only own the made up characters, J.K. Rowling owns everything else. Sadly.  
  
Ron, Hermione, and Harry took a seat in the great hall. Ron immediately struck up a conversation with Seamus about muggle sport-a conflict they needed to resolve. "Football is a lot better then Quidditch." Declared Seamus boldly. Ron almost turned red with disbelief. "What are you talking about?! Muggle sports are rubbish compared to Quidditch!" "Hush you two," Exclaimed Hermione. "The new first years are coming in!" Both of the boys and Harry turned their heads in the direction of the Teacher's Table; where the sorting hat was.  
  
Slowly, a stream of nervous looking first years filed in. In their midst was a tall girl with short brown hair that was obviously older. Hermione frowned. Last year there was a huge amount of backcountry wizard children pouring into the school, all older with no formal training. Professor McGonagall had been so stressed by all of the catching up the children had to do, she declared that she would never "Take late starters again!" But this girl did not look like a back country wizard dressed in frayed robes and overalls. No, not at all. But who was she? Hermione decided just to wait and see.  
  
Obviously Harry had been thinking the same thing, and leaned over to whisper to Hermione. "Who is the new girl?" "I don't know-now be quiet!"  
  
The sorting began with the Hat's new song, ingenious and original as always, was over soon. Hermione, Ron, and Harry along with the rest of the school, clapped happily at the end. "I liked that part about Slytherins," Ron whispered to Harry, "It made them sound particularly nasty." Indeed, several unsorted students looked quite pale after that phrase.  
  
Professor McGonagall stepped up. "We will begin the sorting now." She pulled out a foot long parchment. There wasn't many new students this year, probably because Voldemort had been resurrected. At a time like this, most parents wanted to keep their children home 'safe' with them. "Ahinan, Tomas." Ahinan stepped up at was almost instantaneously sorted into Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuff table briefly clapped then welcomed him with smiles. The list moved through the students quickly, and slowly, as the younger students trickled away to their houses, the older girl looked increasingly embarrassed and nervous. Finally, Professor McGonagall ended with "Zerknel, Abyth" Who went to Ravenclaw. "What is she doing about that older girl?" Ron whispered harshly to Hermione. "I don't know, but I feel bad for her! Imagine standing up their all alone!" She whispered back. Harry was about to say something again, but Hermione shushed him, Professor McGonagall was about to speak. Was it Harry or did she cast him a particularly silencing glance? "As you can see, we have some new arrivals that are obviously not first years." She began, and the girl flushed. McGonagall ignored it and continued. "We have a transfer from America this year, and she will be entering into 6th year. Step up please." She said turning to the girl. The girl did as she was told, and promptly sat on the stool.  
  
-Ah, Clare Austen-Smith. Stepsister of Nymphadora Tonks? -Um, yes. Can we please get this over with? The sorting hat ignored her.  
-Hmmm, hates mean teachers, honest, set in her ways-  
-WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP GOING THROUGH MY HEAD! This response quite shocked the Hat.  
-Going through your head? Hah, I'm just going through your traits.  
-Sorry, I just, er, outbursted?  
-Well, that settles the matter. The hat replied.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted. The Gryffindors stood up and applauded. Clare flushed again and made her way to the table. She carefully noted the dirty glares from the Slytherins, especially a cruel looking blond boy. She didn't say anything, but the flush was gone from her face. Clare knew she would have trouble later.  
  
She took a seat next to a girl with hair similar to hers-thick and wavy. Along with the girl their was a cute looking redhead boy and an boy with black hair. Suddenly, she realized that the black haired boy was Harry Potter.  
"Hey!" She exclaimed. "You're Harry Potter!"  
"Yes, I am. This is Hermione-" He gestured to the girl, "and Ron." Her gestured to the boy.  
"Hello-I'm Clare."  
"So your here from America, right?" Hermione said as she piled the food on her plate-it had just appeared. Clare followed in suit, putting a chicken wing and salad on her plate.  
"Yeah, that's pretty much it. Hogwarts is so different then Arlen."  
"Arlen was the school you went to?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, it's been around since the Salem Witch Trials as protection for the accused witches-the actual wizards would put on charms to stop them burning-but then it sort of merged into an actual wizard school."  
  
Hermione was about to say something but then Ron interrupted. "Did you have a Quidditch team?" Hermione rolled her eyes.  
"Uh huh. I play-or I should say played- chaser. Quidditch isn't as big in America as it is in England."  
"What was it called?"  
"My team? It's called the Arlen Orioles-they're a-"  
"Type of bird, right?" Clare smiled. It wasn't often people knew so much. She turned to Hermione.  
"Yeah! Most people don't know that. Do you read a lot?"  
"Tons." Ron and Harry said in unison, and rolled their eyes. Clare's eyes lit up.  
"Cool! Have you ever read The Poison Wood Bible? It's fantastic."  
"Actually, I'm in the middle of it right now." Through all of this, Hermione had been measuring up and judging the new girl up. So far she seemed to meet what Hermione thought was a decent girl. Clare was obviously doing the same thing and came to the same conclusion. Both girls launched into a conversation about books and other things, and Ron, Harry, and Seamus got involved in Quidditch again. Now and again one of the boys would toss Clare a question about Quidditch and she would lean over and answer, which measured up pretty good for the boys. Then Clare and Hermione would return back to their discussion. Before they knew it, it was time to go. "Come on," Hermione said, "We'll show you to the Common Room. Come on Harry, Ron." The four made their way to the hall. "Harry, is You-Know-I mean Voldemort," Ron and Hermione flinched, Ron quite more visibly. "Uh-sorry." She said then turned to Harry, "really resurrected?" Harry looked a little drawn then said "Yes." quietly. Clare's face took a seriousness to it and for a second she looked like she was about cry. But only for a minute. "So what did-Oh, I'm sorry!" Clare said-she had just bumped into someone.  
"New Gryffindors not looking where they are going? 5 points from Gryffindor." Snape smiled cruelly and walked away briskly. Clare was left their a bit speechless and mad.  
"Did he just take 5 points away for bumping into him?!" She exclaimed. Hermione answered. "that Snape. He hates Gryffindors, period." "HATES? More like despises!!!"  
  
"Yelling about something, Weasly? Or did you just lose a knut?" A cruel voice echoed across the hallway. Clare looked up. It was the cruel looking blond boy, plus two others, that she had saw at dinner. Immediately, she adopted a cool expression.  
  
"No, he didn't drop a knut. He saw your face." She said with force at the ends of her words. Malfoy was speechless; Hermione, Ron and Harry were shocked but happy all the same.  
  
"What? How dare you speak to me that way!" Malfoy sputtered. "Do you know who I am?"  
"Yes, in fact I do." Clare shot back, "A stuck up prat who has nothing better to do but count his knuts-sadly, they number oh so few. If you know what I mean."  
Ron burst out laughing. Harry was trying to hide his laughter but also burst out, and Hermione had a hand over her mouth, covering up her giggles. Draco was beet red. "Come Crabbe, Goyle, they are not good enough for us." He said with a huff and stalked off.  
Clare collapsed in a fit of giggles after the Slytherin trio stalked off. "Hahaha, that was hilarious, hahaha!" "It served Malfoy right." Ron said. "Oh, is that his name? It sounds hideous-like some thing dark."  
  
When they arrived at the common room a few minutes later, a full swing celebration was in session. "The question is," Whispered Hermione to Clare, "is why we always have one, no matter what." "I suppose," Clare responded, "that it is for the beginning of the year or something." Just then a shower of rainbow sparks shot up from somebody's wand, and Hermione went off to see who it was. She was a prefect, after all. 


	2. Chapter 2: Dinner and Malfoy

American Gryffindor  
Chapter 2 Disclaimer: I still don't own HP! DAMN! I mean, I am so happy -ok, anyway, I don't own any of J.K. Rowling's stuff, just the made up characters in this story, such as me.  
  
Clare sat down in a chair, rather awkwardly, seeing as Ron and Harry had wandered off on their own. A moment later, Ron walked over with two older, identical boys with the same shock of red hair. "Clare," He said rather excitedly, "These are my brothers-George and Fred."  
  
The boys smiled. "We've heard wot you've done to Malfoy-and we would like to induct you in the JSH-Joker's Society of Hogwarts." Ron looked just as confused as Clare. "The what?"  
  
"The Joker's Society of Hogwarts. It's sort of a honorary club that me, Lee Jordan, and Fred came up with at the end of last term. It's sort of like a badge thing, you pull one prank, insult one enemy, etceteras, and you get in. Come up with a brill idea, invent a joke, or pull a prank, you move further up the list." Clare raised her eyebrows. Seemed rather pointless, she didn't exactly plan on pulling any actual pranks, more than the smart responses, but why not? Mean while, Ron was becoming flushed. " You've had all this and you never mentioned it to me! And I'm you brother!" "Well, you never stand up to Malfoy like she did, you just stand there turning red or threaten to fight him." Fred pointed up. Ron turned very dark red then stormed off.  
  
"What did I-" "Don't worry about it," George said. "he'll be over it in a day." But Clare wasn't so sure. No one would like to be embarrassed like that, especially in front of new students. She knew.  
  
The rest of the night proved uneventful, though Clare felt feeling guilty about the whole JSH event, though none of it was really her fault.  
  
She had a restless sleep. The guilt about Ron mixed with other memories and feelings to create strange dreams and nightmares. Though one thing stood out; a feeling of despair, anger and humiliation.  
  
She woke up early as usual the next morning, clearly remembering the feeling she had felt, not at all shocked or concerned. It had happened before, she could "dream" into peoples memories, especially if their was a pensieve anywhere near her. And, of course, it didn't happen regularly, averaging 2 or three year. Sometimes, she felt only the feelings of the memories, sometimes she saw it as the person or as an outsider.  
Who though, was the boy? She pushed the thoughts back for later as she head the should of the three other girls waking. Hermione, next to her on the right, then Lavender Brown, and finally a girl called Parvati Patil.  
  
Yawning, she changed into her uniform and slipped on her shoes to wait for Hermione. A few more minutes & both girls were down in the common room waiting for Harry and Ron. When they appeared, Ron avoided meeting her gaze, as if she would make a comment about last night. For a second she thought the dream memory was about his feelings, but no, the memory she had dreamed into went farther back then last night. It was more like 20 years.  
  
She said nothing about last night, and then Ron would finally look at her.  
  
At breakfast, Clare sat next to a girl named Ginny ( another one of Ron's many siblings) and a boy 9ginnny's boyfriend) Dean Thomas. Ginny was filled her in on the teachers. "McGonagall is good, she's fair but she gives tons of homework. Now Snape on the other hand is horribly unfair to Gryffindors, and he also..."  
Ginny went down a long, long list about Snape's many faults and flaws, and almost every Gryffindor added on to her description. By the end of, her head was spinning.  
"Oh look!" Hermione cried, "They're giving out the schedules!" And indeed "they" were. Perfectly folded squares of parchment were being dropped n to student laps by owl's. Harry was the first to open his.  
  
"Oh no." He groaned. "Double potions with Slytherin. First class!" Ron looked aghast. "You've got to be kidding." Hermione said starkly. "Nope." Clare said, unfolding her paper. "Then we've got Transfiguration- Oh, I took that class last year- Lunch, of course, I've got Arithmancy-"  
  
"Ooo, me too!" Hermione squealed. Ron goggled at her. "The only person I know who would take Arithmancy willingly is Hermione." "-Then Charms, and of course dinner. I won't go into detail about the rest of the schedule-you can open yours." "Ah, but it was so easy copying of you." Harry muttered. Clare raised an eyebrow and smirked, but didn't say anything.  
  
Just then Fred and George ran up.  
  
"Clare, we got you your-" "-JSH badge. Here." Fred tossed her a metal pin with her name engraved with her name and the title "Official JSH Member". It was a simple pin, and looked like this:  
  
  
  
It looked suspiciously familiar. Something in Harry's memory clicked. "You got those from the Ministry of Magic!" "Wot?!" Exclaimed Ron. "No, we didn't steal them, we bought them." "From who?" said Hermione adamantly. "Dung-Mungdungus Fletcher." "He, he is a thief! That's illegal-" "Oh, don't have a fit Hermione," said Fred, looking a bit peeved. "Besides, the Ministry has tons. Oh, and Clare?" "Yes?" "I wouldn't advise wearing that in class-most of the teacher her are-" "Not exactly slow." They winked and walked off.  
  
"So," Harry said slowly, gathering his things from the bench, "What is the 'JSH'?" "The Joker's Society of Hogwarts."  
  
"Lot more worth while then Spew if you ask me." Ron muttered. "What did you just say! S.P.E.W. is MUCH more worthwhile then some stupid 'Joker's Society'." Clare looked a little hurt but the look was swiped off her face when she asked "What is S.P.E.W.?" "It's an organization I founded for the rights of House Elves-you know that they are very poorly treated." "Oh, house elves? They have rights in the States. Well, basic rights of course. They can't vote, however. And we don't force them to do things, a house elf will stay with a family if it wants, to, and we can't beat it or hurt it at all. Though I don't think they have as much rights here-my little sister told me a story that her pen pal, Fleur Delacour told her about some girl at Hogwarts who tried to literally force the house elves to go free by knitting things and sending them to the unwary elves-I can't remember her name though, I think it started with an H, like Hannah or something."  
Hermione blushed and said nothing more of the subject, while Ron and Harry snickered quietly, trying not to be noticed. 


	3. Chapter 3: First Day and Then Some

American Gryffindor  
Chapter 3 Disclaimer: All Hoggywarty thingies belong to J.K. Rowling, except my made up characters, which is me, and some other random names off the top of my head I made up for the sake of the story.  
  
Snape was not present when they got to potions. Unfortunately, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were their too. "Oh look-two halfbloods, a mudblood, and a penniless beggar," He sneered, the turned to the other Slytherins, "Looks like we've got more errors in the school system." He smirked evilly at them. Clare was beside herself with rage. "How dare you t-" She began, shrieking. Just then Snape entered the room. Malfoy and his cronies settled down immediately as did Clare and the others. But Snape had still heard her shout. "Tut tut, yelling at your peers? Well, 10 points from Gryffindor then." Clare looked incredulously at him. Ten points? She could see five or so, but ten? "Close your mouth Austen, or I'll add on another five." Clare looked resolute but turned away from him and pulled out a parchment notebook for notes. "It's Austen-Smith." She mutter under her breath.  
"Now aside from that little incident-he smirked at Clare, "We shall begin class. Now, today we are brewing the Dragoratus Potion, which gives the drinker temporary powers to resist dragon fire. The directions are on the board-" He gestured and they appeared-"You may begin now-you have an hour and fifteen minutes." Clare sighed and begin copying down the ingredients. "Horidius Root, Ligus Snails, Peratum of course, and Dicorium?" Dicorium was an ingredient to glamour potions, not fire proof ones. She was sure of it. Raising her hand high in the air-Hermione was to, she noticed- she waited for Snape to call on her. When Snape finally looked up from his desk, he looked revolted to have to choose between two Gryffindors. "What is it?" He snapped at Clare, decided that because she was new, he didn't hate her as much as Hermione. "Dicorium, Professor. I think-I think-" She faltered a bit at his glare. "I think you might've meant Deraceum. Dicorium is fatal without the Forgette Flower and that is-"She faltered, "Not included in the potion." Snape looked unbelievable meanly at her; with a horrible scowl on his face. "So I take this to mean that you believe me incompetent?" "N-no Professor." "Or did you just want to get attention from Potter, or Weasly perhaps, by showing up the Potions Master?" Clare felt her cheeks burning and knew she was blushing. "No, Professor. I was just trying to point out an.error." She said a bit faintly. Snape practically snarled. "Well, another five points form Gryffindor for not fixing the error yourself and replacing the Dicorium with the Deraceum. Now, you've only got- " -He glanced at the clock- "45 minutes to finish." Clare looked very taken aback but didn't say anything. She simply pushed the Dicorium of her workspace and replaced it with the Deraceum. So did the rest of the class, including Slytherins, though they looked embittered at being shown up by a Gryffindor. With in twenty minutes, most everyone had his or her cauldrons bubbling steadily. "Three toads eyes, then stir one time clockwise and three times counterclockwise. Foam should appear." Foam did appear; though rather half- heartedly. She sighed. Well, potions had never been her strong suit. Everyone seemed to be doing moderately well. Until there was an explosion in the back of the class. Neville's cauldron was collapsing again. His potion-a yellow, sludgy mass-was seeping through burnt holes in his cauldron. Neville was trembling while looking at it, obviously frightened. CRACK! The last leg of his cauldron had cracked, sending the entire mess free on the floor. It started to eat away at the floor.  
"Longbottom! I see your stupidity has come into play again. This-mess- will more likely cause burns then protect against them!" He hissed. "Five points from Gryffindor and a detention with me. Scourgify." The mess disappeared along with the collapsed cauldron. Snape walked back to his desk. Neville looks absolutely miserable. "This'll mean a Howler from Gran, for sure." Everyone looked piteously at Neville, but turned their attention to their own potions.  
When potions was over-thankfully, she thought-they headed to Transfiguration. The room reminded Clare greatly of her old school's own Transfiguration room, which was a comfort.  
"Today," Began McGonagall, "We are transfiguring a processed piece of wood into a branch." The class groaned. It was a harder assignment then they had done before. "You will use the incantation "Sprigorus Rowanis." "Sprigorus Rowanis!" Clare pointed her wand and saw to her disappointment, a couple leaves but nothing else. To her left, Ron was doing the same. Hermione however, had a perfect Rowan branch sitting on her desk and was studying the text book-5 or so chapters ahead of everyone else. "Gods," Clare muttered "Is there anything she doesn't do right?" "Cooking," Ron muttered. "What?" "Cooking. She came to my house last year and tried to make soup-Mum had to Scourgify the entire kitchen and wouldn't let Hermione touch a thing the rest of the time." Clare giggled. As short as she had known Hermione, she got the impression that she was very annoyed when she got something wrong, which was very unusual. Ron smiled. Lunch was good and Clare got to know more of her fellow Gryffindors, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Dallia Morton. She didn't meet many people from other houses, just Hannah Abbott, Ernie MacMillan, and Padma Patil, Parvati's twin sister.  
Arithmancy was fun, well fun enough for math, Clare had always enjoyed the satisfaction of a problem perfectly calculated-obviously Hermione did too. The met up with the boys for Charms.  
Flitwick was very amusing for Clare. She couldn't help it, she didn't know why. That class they were learning the Cleansing Charm-incidentally, Scourgify. When Ron and her found out about it, they broke into laughter, earning them some odd looks but nothing for worse.  
Dinner was a lot more peaceful than the morning, and finished making a wreath of Rowan Branches that she transfigured for Transfiguration Class. At 10, she headed up to bed after Hermione.  
  
The rest of the week was perfectly normal, they didn't have any potions and only a few encounters with Malfoy. It wasn't until after lunch on Friday that they had Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
"I wonder who we have this year, they didn't tell us at the beginning."  
"Yeah, along as it's not Umbridge, I'm happy."  
"What if it's Snape, what then?" Hermione cut into the boy's conversation with a shrew comment. 


	4. Chapter 4: Defense Against the Dark Arts

"Don't remind me." Clare sighed. Just then, a gong sounded. "Well, time for class!" Hermione said brightly and picked up her satchel. Clare sighed and followed, as did the boys. All four were very surprised -along with the other Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors- when their teacher was a spry, young woman with bubblegum pink hair in curls. She had a cute little nose, Ron noted, and she reminded him of a certain girl.... "Tonks!" Clare cried gleefully and ran to give the woman a hug. The woman looked a little confused for a second, then her eyes lit up. "Clare! I didn't know you would be here. Mum said you were transferring, but I didn't know you were coming to Hogwarts!" "I'm glad I did! What with you teaching here and all." Recognition dawned on Hermione, Ron, and Harry. Tonks was the Metamorphmagus that had stayed in Grimmauld place with them when they were there before school. Ron was about to say something when Harry elbowed him hard in the stomach.  
"Oi! What y'do that for?"  
"Remember," He hissed, "we aren't supposed to know about the Order of the Phoenix." Ron nodded. Clare was still chatting to Tonks, and didn't notice the discreet display. Tonks glanced up at the rest of the glance, the realized something-she was supposed to be teaching!  
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Professor Tonks, though you can just call me Tonks, I don't mind. Come in, have a seat."  
When the rest of the class filed in and settled down, Tonks began the lesson.  
"Today we are learning about Metamorphmagus. They are wizards with the unique ability to change their features. It just so happens that I am one." She screwed up her faced, then with a pop, changed her bright pink hair into thick, black, hair that went down to her waist. The performance was met with many "Oohs" and "Aahhs." and come squeals from the girls, mainly Dallia Morton. She raised her hand.  
"Can you become a Metamorphmagus?"  
"Yes, you can, but it takes around 10 or so years of work, and some people just can't do it." Dallia fell back in her chair, looking disappointed.  
"Now, please put away your quills and parchment, we will need your wands now. We are going to be learning how to detect and identify and Metamorphamagi."  
Students smiled to each other when they put their things away. It was fun having an interactive D.A.D.A. teacher, as they did not last year.  
"Clare, since you have done this before, come up please." Dallia wasn't the only one to look at Clare with envy. Tonks turned to the rest of the class and smiled.  
"Everyone will get to do this, so don't worry. The incantation is 'Aperio Caecus' Which will detect that there is a Metamorphmagus in the area. Your wand should glow green. Please demonstrate." She turned to Clare, who sighed but flicked her wrist and said "Aperio Caecus!" Her wand glowed a brilliant green. "The second part of the spell is forcing the Metamorphmagus back into his or her normal state. The incantation is "Pedem Referre Etiam Ducere." Again Tonks screwed up her face and turned into a stout woman with frizzy black hair, and she resembled Umbridge quite a bit. Was it just Ron or did she wink at the class? Clare took out her wand and with another flick, said "Pedem Referre Etiam Ducere!" Tonks trembled, then started to melt slowly back into her former self, but stopped half way, leaving a grotesque picture. "As you can see," said Tonks in her misshapen form, "you must say the spell with force. Again, Clare." Flushing, Clare repeated the charm, which now successfully transformed Tonks back into Tonks.  
The entire class worked on the spell, going up one by one and trying it on Tonks. Mostly everyone got it on his or her third or fourth try. Tonks dismissed the class with no homework, luckily. 


End file.
